Toyota regaining US market share peak ‘unrealistic’senior executive

Toyota Motor Corporation’s senior managing officer says it is unrealistic to expect the brand to regain its 2009 US market share peak of 17 per cent.

Industry journal Automotive News reports senior managing officer and North America CEO, James Lentz, expects Toyota to reach a share of between 14 per cent and 17 per cent in the company’s biggest market looking forward.

“I think we had some tailwinds that were very, very unique, so I’m not sure if 17 per cent is a realistic number.”

“But somewhere between today’s 14 [per cent] and that number,” said the first American to head Toyota’s North American division.

The Japanese manufacturer – the third-best-selling car maker in the US behind General Motors and Ford – has a market share of 14.2 per cent so far this year.

TMC president Akio Toyoda has previously suggested the company’s strong growth over the past decade was a contributing factor in the recall issues of 2009 and 2010.

Toyota’s 2009 peak, which saw it outsell Ford and move into second place behind GM, was followed by a 2011 US market share of 12.9 per cent in the wake of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami disasters.